Pledge to pull garlic mustard at Crosby Farm Park
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A natural oasis in the heart of the city, Crosby Farm Regional Park is nestled at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Enjoy the beauty of early spring at this riverside park while helping protect native plants beneficial to our local wildlife and waters with this annual tradition.
Alongside FMR staff, volunteers will be working in an area home to a striking array of spring wildflowers native to Minnesota – Dutchman's breeches, trout lily and Jack-in-the-pulpit, to name a few. After a brief introduction and training, volunteers will help protect these and other important members of the native plant community by removing garlic mustard, then make the pledge to return to the area to continue this much-needed work.
Garlic mustard is not only easy to identify but quick to pull by hand, making its removal the perfect restoration activity for volunteers who want to continue to improve wildlife habitat and the health of their watershed at times most convenient for them during the weeks following this event.
Thanks to continued volunteer efforts throughout the years, we've been able to see slow but steady improvement and have expanded the volunteer restoration work areas to include the Crosby lakeshore!
All are welcome, but capacity is limited and registration is required.
About the Pledge
Please note that we ask all registrants at this particular event to sign a Pledge to Pull, promising to remove garlic mustard in this area of Crosby Park in the weeks following this training and morning pull.
All volunteers receive a signed card certifying their participation in the training and granting permission to independently return and perform this volunteer service in this special area, part of the City of St. Paul park system and the Mississippi River National Park.
Volunteers pledge to a total of 4 hours of invasive plant removal – 2 hours will be completed at the training plus an additional 2 hours coordinated on your own. If you bring someone with you, their hours count towards your pledged time. For example, if you participate in the 2-hour training and removal session, then bring a friend, classmate or family member to the site for a 1-hour session, that totals 2 hours of volunteer time and the completion of your pledge!
Pulling technique, where to pull and additional details will be covered during the training event.
Accessibility
A short walk on a paved trail with some hills is required to get to the worksite. Once at the worksite, we will be working off the trails, though on relatively flat terrain. Pulling garlic mustard is a lower intensity activity that can be done while sitting down. FMR will provide a few kneeling pads.
Ready to register?
Please use the form below to register for this event. If you have questions or concerns, you can contact the Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at volunteer@fmr.org or (651) 222-2193 x27.
We understand that volunteers are used to registering over email - please bear with us as we navigate staff transitions and help us out by using this form! Rest assured that our program staff are seeing your registrations, and we will be in touch as it gets closer to the event date.
If you're under 18 and interested in volunteering without the company of your parent or guardian, please take a moment and have them fill out this brief minor permission form.
Can't make it?
To receive notices of future volunteer events, contact FMR's Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at volunteer@fmr.org. Or, visit our Events Calendar for our most up-to-date listing of upcoming events. To receive a twice-a-month e-newsletter including all FMR activities and news, sign up for Mississippi Messages.
Thanks to our partners and funders: BNSF Foundation, RBC Wealth Management, St. Paul Parks and Recreation and Xcel Energy.